Spent coffee grounds as a lubricant in a method of pelleting of wood

Abstract

Pellets and a process for producing pellets are disclosed. The process includes recovering spent coffee grounds from a coffee production facility. The coffee grounds are then subject to a drying process to remove moisture from the coffee grounds to form dried coffee grounds. A mixture of about 0.5-10% dried coffee grounds and wood material is then formed. The mixture is then compressed in a pellet mill to form wood pellets including about 0.5-10% coffee grounds. The coffee grounds in the wood material acts as a lubricant for the pelleting machinery and eliminate the need for other lubricants in the process.

We claim: 
     
       1. A process for producing pellets using coffee grounds as a lubricant, comprising:
 providing coffee grounds having an initial moisture content; 
 drying the coffee grounds to a second moisture content of 1-15%, by weight, to produce dried coffee grounds; 
 forming a mixture of about 0.5-10%, by weight, dried coffee grounds and about 90-99.5%, by weight, wood material, said mixture having a third moisture content; 
 compressing the mixture in a pellet mill to form pellets including wood material and about 0.5-10%, by weight, coffee grounds, wherein the coffee grounds act as a lubricant in the process for producing pellets and the mixture is devoid of additional oils, and 
 wherein the pellet production rate was 2055 lbs. per hour with fines for hardwood wood material or 1500 lbs. per hour with fines for softwood wood material. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the pellets are extruded through a die to form pellets having a diameter of 0.25 inches. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of coffee grounds is 1-10%, by weight. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of coffee grounds is 5-10%, by weight. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1 , wherein fines are routed back to the mixture for reprocessing. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture further includes binders. 
     
     
       7. Pellets produced by a process for producing pellets using coffee grounds as a lubricant, said pellets comprising:
 about 0.5-10%, by weight, coffee grounds having a first moisture content; 
 about 90-99.5%, by weight, of a wood material; 
 wherein said coffee grounds and wood are formed into a mixture having a second moisture content and compressed in a pellet mill to form pellets including about 0.5-10%, by weight, coffee grounds, wherein the coffee grounds act as a lubricant in the process for producing pellets and the mixture is devoid of additional oils, and 
 wherein the pellet were produced at a rate of 2055 lbs. per hour with fines for hardwood wood material or 1500 lbs. per hour with fines for softwood wood material. 
 
     
     
       8. The pellets of  claim 7 , wherein the first moisture content is 15% or less, by weight. 
     
     
       9. The pellets of  claim 7 , wherein the amount of coffee grounds is 1-10%, by weight. 
     
     
       10. The pellets of  claim 7 , wherein the amount of coffee grounds is 5-10%, by weight. 
     
     
       11. The pellets of  claim 7 , wherein additional moisture is added to the mixture and the second moisture content is about 8 to 14%, by weight. 
     
     
       12. The pellets of  claim 7 , wherein the pellets are extruded through a die to form pellets having a diameter of 0.25 inches. 
     
     
       13. The pellets of  claim 7 , wherein the mixture further includes binders.